Predryer for carpet ranges

ABSTRACT

In a carpet range, a surface-contact drum-type predryer, which may be gas fired, has retractable guide rolls mounted for movement toward and away from the heated drum surface. In operating position, the retractable rolls maintain the carpet in contact with the heated surface of the drum. When the carpet range is shut down, the retractable rolls move to their retracted position and maintain the carpet out of contact with the heated drum surface. Automatic control means are provided, responsive to energization of the main drive means, for causing movement of the retractable rolls toward the heated drum surface, and responsive to the deenergization of the main drive means for automatically moving the guide rolls away from the drum surface. The predryer may also be used for other webs.

I United States Patent 1 1 3,591,151

[72] Inventor Herman .I. Kerner 3,] l6,985 1/1964 Kraus 34/110 Annmarie Primary Examiner-John J. Camby I P 876'003 Attorney-Paul & Paul [22} Filed Nov. I2, 1969 [45] Patented July 6, 1971 (73] Assignee Collins & Aikman Corporation New York, N.Y.

ABSTRACT: In a carpet range, a surface-contact drum-type [541' PREDRYER FOR CARPET RANGES predryer, which may be gas fired, has retractable guide rolls 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs mounted for movement toward and away from the heated drum surface. In operatmg position, the retractable rolls mam- U.S. min the carpct in ontact the heated surface of the drum 34/ l 10 When the carpet range is shut down, the retractable rolls [5! ll!!- Cl F27!) 7/08, move to th i t t d i i d i i th carpet t f F27b 7/ 20 contact with the heated drum surface. Automatic control [50] held of Search 263/34; means are rovided, responsive to energization of the main 34/108- I 121 drive means, for causing movement of the retractable rolls I 56} Rehrences Cited toward the heated drum surface, and responsive to the deenergization of the main drive means for automatically moving the UNITED STATES PATENTS guide rolls away from the drum surface, The predryer may 2,440,839 5/l948 Apgar et al. .1 34/1 10 also be used for other webs.

PATENTED JUL 8l97i 3,591,151

sum 1 BF 3 \v fi INVENTOR. k Hermon J. Kerner MWQM ATTORNEYS.

PATENTEDJUL 6l97l 3.591.151

SHEET 2 OF 3 B 3 INVENTOR.

Hermon J. Kerner ATTORNEYS.

PREDRYER FOR CARPET RANGES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to carpet ranges and particularly to a carpet range in which the main dryer, usually a tenter dryer, is preceded by a preheater of the surface-contact drum type. Heretofore, in most cases at least, when the range is turned off, since the surface of the drum retains its heat,.the carpet in contact therewith has been subjected to overdrying. In some prior art instances an effort has been made to overcome this by using radiant heating units which are withdrawn when the range is shut off.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a carpet range characterized by fast evaporization and an increase in speed through which the carpet may be put through the range.

A further object is to provide a carpet range characterized by substantial equalization of drying of the jute backing and the pile.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by provided a carpet range in which the main or tenter dryer is preceded by a contact predryer of the drum-type, which may be gas fired. The carpet is so threaded through the range that the back of the carpet is in contact with the high temperature surface of the heated drum, thereby to achieve fast evaporization of the jute or other backing, and thereby to afford an increase in the speed through which the carpet may be moved through the range. The method and apparatus proposed by the present invention achieves evaporization of a large amount of water in the jute (or other) backing, and substantially equalizes the drying of the back and the pile. The predryer may also be used for drying webs other than carpets.

It is a feature of the apparatus provided by the present invention that when the range is turned off, the carpet (or other cloth) is automatically moved out of contact with the surface of the heated drum, and when the range is again started, the carpet is automatically moved into contact with the heated drum surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the carpet (or other cloth) range showing the particulars of the contact predryer drum and its retractable rolls;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view looking along the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing further structural details of the retractable rolls;

FIG. 3 is an end view looking along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the peripheral drive for the annular drum;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing one form of automatic control circuit for the predryer and its retractable rolls;

FIG. 5 is a view of an alternate embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, carpet (or other cloth) 30 from a dye or other treatment zone is fed through a mangle or pair of feed rolls 22, up over fixed guide rolls 25, around retractable roll 43, around a substantial portion of the outer surface of a predryer annular cylinder or drum 9, (which may be gas fired), around the other retractable roll 44, over and around fixed guide rolls 26, and then over fixed guide rolls 27 to the tenter dryer 70. The pile side of the carpet 30 is indicated by a fragmentary showing of pile identified by the reference letter The mangle or feed rolls 22 are shown mounted on a stand 24 and driven by a belt 21 driven by a motor and gear reduction unit through a variable speed drive 120.

Motor and gear reduction unit 20 and variable speed drive 120 also drive a belt 17 trained over a pulley 15 mounted on a shaft 115. As seen in FIG. 3, shaft 115 also carries a second pulley 18 which drives a second belt 118 trained over a pulley 16 mounted on a shaft 116.

Shafts 115 and 116 also carry pairs of peripheral drive rolls 65 and 66 for driving the annular drum 9. One pair of drive rolls 65 is visible in FIG. 3, one roll at each edge of the annular drum 9. By means of the pairs of rolls 65 and 66 which engage the periphery of the drum 9, the drum is driven rotationally clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1. A third pair of fixed guide rolls 67 at the upper part of the drum 9 assist in guiding and maintaining the rotational stability of the drum.

While other means than gas may be employed for heating the surface of the drum 9, in the particular embodiment shown in the present illustration, the drum surface is heated by gas burners 63 fed by branch pipes 62 supplied through feed pipe 61 located on the center axis of rotation of the drum. Four burners 63 are shown, located adjacent the undersurface of the drum.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the frame 10 of the predryer has two pairs of horizontal support members 11 and 12. On the lower pair of support members 11 (FIG. 3) are mounted the bearing blocks 13 which support shafts 115 and 116. These bearings may preferably be water cooled. On the upper pair of support members 12 (FIG. 2) are mounted the bearing blocks 59 which support the pivot shafts 55 and 56 of the retractable mechanism which carries the retractable rolls 43 and 44. One of the support members 12 (the left member as viewed in FIG. 2) also carries a support 60 which supports the feed pipe 61 through which gas is supplied to the burners 63.

Returning now to a description of the retractable mechanism, keyed or otherwise secured near one end of pivot shaft 55 is a spur gear 53 which is in mesh with a spur gear 54 keyed or otherwise secured near the end of the other pivot shaft 56. Also keyed or otherwise secured near one end of pivot shaft 55 is a worm gear 52 driven by a worm 51 mounted on a worm shaft driven by a reversible motor 50.

As seen in FIG. 2, the retractable roller 43 is carried by a pair of support arms 41 which are secured, as by setscrews 141, to the pivot shaft 55. A similar pair of support arms 42 carry the retractable roller 44, the arms 42 being fixed to the pivot shaft 56. Brace arms 45 connect each of the pairs of sup port arms 41 and 42. Since the drum 9 is an annulus, i.e., is open on each side, the brace arms 45 do not interfere with rotation of the drum. A pair of springs 46 connect the arms 41 and 42, urging them in a direction to move the rolls 43 and 44 toward the surface of the drum.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating one form of control circuit suitable for the carpet range of the present application including the predryer drum and its retractable rollers. In FIG. 4, all relay contacts are shown in the condition they assume when their relay is deenergized. It will be assumed that the carpet range has been shut down, and that the retractable arms 41 and 42 carrying the rolls 43 and 44 are in their retracted positions, shown in phantom in FIG. 1. When the arms are in their retracted position, the lower limit-switch 66 is engaged by an arm 68, and is pushed to the position shown in FIG. 4. When, at start-up, the operator pushes the ON-OFF button down to the ON position, the circuit is closed between power lines Lil-L2 through the branch (a) and the main drive motor 20 is energized. So is relay R2. The normally closed upper limit-switch 67 is in its biased or closed position, and, accordingly, when the ON button is pushed to turn on the range a circuit is also completed through the relay R1.

With relays R1 and R2 both energized, the normally open contacts R1-1 and R2-2 in branches (d) and (0) both close, and current flows through the reversible motor M in a direction to drive worm 51 in a direction to move the shafts 55 and 56 in directions to move the retractable arms 41 and 42 and their rollers 43 and 44 toward the surface of the drum 9.

As the arms 41 and 42 move inwardly toward the surface of the drum, switch arm 68 on shaft 56 moves away from limitswitch 66 and limit-switch 66, under the influence of its biasing spring, returns to its biased position. Inward movement of arms 41 and 42 continues until switch arm 68 engages upper limit-switch 67 at which time the normally closed upper limitswitch 67 is pushed open. This deenergizes relay R1, and its contacts Rl-l return to their normally open condition. This deenergizes the worm drive motor 50. The arms 41 and 42 carrying the rolls 43 and 44 are now in the positions shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, with the back of carpet 30 in contact with the heated surface of drum 9. The main drive motor 20 con tinues to be energized and continues to drive the belt drives 17 and 21. Thus, the carpet continues to be fed to the predryer and the predryer drum 9 continues to be rotated, clockwise as viewed in FIG. I.

When the operator wants to shut down the carpet range, he operates the ON-OFF button. In the illustration of FIG. 4, he would pull switch 100 up, opening the circuit through branch (a) and closing the circuit through branch (b). This shuts down the main drive motor 20, and the movement of the carpet through the feed rolls 22 stops. Rotation of drum 9 also stops. At the time the switch 100 is pushed to the OFF position, the lower limit-switch 66 is in its biased position. Since relay R-2 is now in deenergized condition, its contacts R2-3 are in their normally closed state, while its contacts R2-2 arc in their normally open state. Thus, a circuit is completed through branches (b) and (c) to cause current to flow in the reverse direction through motor 50. Thus, worm 51 is now rotated in a direction to drive spur gears 53 and 54 in directions opposite to that in which they were previously driven, thereby causing the arms 41 and 42 to move outwardly. The rollers 43 and 44 are thus carried from drum-contact positions to the retracted positions shown in phantom in FIG. 1, and the carpet 30 is moved out of surface-contact with heated drum 9 and takes up a position indicated generally by the dot-and-dash line in FIG. 1.

FIG. is a diagrammatic representation of an alternate embodirnent in which the retractable arms 41 and 42 are moved by a fluid-operated piston, rather than by the worm drive and spur gear arrangement shown in FIG. 1 and described above.

In FIG. 5, the diagrammatic side elevational view indicates that the pairs of retractable arms 41 and 42 are pivotally secured to a pair of support stands 31 supported on the pair of frame members 12. A pair of piston cylinders 33, supported as from top frame member 32 (FIG. 1) actuates link arms 35 to move the retractable rolls 43 and 44 toward or away from the surface of the drum 9. Actuation of the pair of piston cylinders 33 may be controlled automatically by solenoid air valves and limit-switches using circuitry similar to that shown in FIG. In such electropneumatic circuit, the reversible motor 50 of FIG. 4 would be replaced by a three-way air valve for controlling the direction of movement of the pistons 34 of the cylinders 33. 1

What I claim is:

1. In a carpet range or the like having a main dryer, a predryer, a supply of carpet or other web cloth, drive means for feeding the carpet to the range, and guide means for guiding said carpet through the range, characterized in that said predryer includes:

a. a rotatable drum;

b. means for heating the surface of said drum;

5 c. retractable rolls mounted for movement toward and away from said drum surface, said retractable rolls in operating position maintaining said carpet in contact with a substantial portion of the surface of said drum, said retractable rolls in retracted position maintaining said carpet out of contact with said drum surface; and

d. control means responsive to energization of said range drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls toward said drum surface and responsive to deenergization of said range drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls away from said drum surface.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said retractable rolls are mounted on a pair of retractable support members mounted for pivotal movement on each side of the center axis of said drum.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said pair of pivotal retractable support members comprise first and second frames, each of said frames supporting therebetween a cross shaft carrying one of said retractable rolls.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that said retractable support members are driven pivotally by worm and gear drive means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that spring means are connected between said first and second 30 frames tending to urge said frames toward each other.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which gas burner means are provided for heating the drum surface.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said pair of retractable support members are driven pivotally by fluid-actuated piston means.

8. A surface contact dryer for carpets and other cloth web material, comprising:

a. a rotatable drum;

b. drive means for rotating said drum;

c. means for heating the surface of said drum;

d. retractable rolls mounted for movement toward and away from said drum surface, said retractable rolls in operating position maintaining said web in contact with a substantial portion of the surface of said drum, said retractable rolls in retracted position maintaining said web out of contact with said drum surface; and

e. control means responsive to energization of said drum drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls toward said drum surface and responsive to deenergization of said drum drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls away from said drum surface. 

1. In a carpet range or the like having a main dryer, a predryer, a supply of carpet or other web cloth, drive means for feeding the carpet to the range, and guide means for guiding said carpet through the range, characterized in that said predryer includes: a. a rotatable drum; b. means for heating the surface of said drum; c. retractable rolls mounted for movement toward and away from said drum surface, said retractable rolls in operating position maintaining said carpet in contact with a substantial portion of the surface of said drum, said retractable rolls in retracted position maintaining said carpet out of contact with said drum surface; and d. control means responsive to energization of said range drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls toward said drum surface and responsive to deenergization of said range drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls away from said drum surface.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said retractable rolls are mounted on a pair of retractable support members mounted for pivotal movement on each side of the center axis of said drum.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said pair of pivotal retractable support members comprise first and second frames, each of said frames supporting therebetween a cross shaft carrying one of said retractable rolls.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that said retractable support members are driven pivotally by worm and gear drive means.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that spring means are connected between said first and second frames tending to urge said frames toward each other.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which gas burner means are provided for heating the drum surface.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said pair of retractable support members are driven pivotally by fluid-actuated piston means.
 8. A surface contact dryer for carpets and other cloth web material, comprising: a. a rotatable drum; b. drive means for rotating said drum; c. means for heating the surface of said drum; d. retractable rolls mounted for movement toward and away from said drum surface, said retractable rolls in operating position maintaining said web in contact with a substantial portion of the surface of said drum, said retractable rolls in retracted position maintaining said web out of contact with said drum surface; and e. control means responsive to energization of said drum drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls toward said drum surface and responsive to deenergization of said drum drive means for automatically causing movement of said retractable rolls away from said drum surface. 